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(No Model.) v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. 1:". X. TAAF-FE 8v C. H. KOYL.

UNDERGROUND LINE.

Patented May 29,1888.

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' FZ'Q WITNESSES (No M odel.)

3 Sheets-Sht 3.

P.' X. TAAFPE 8vv C. H. KOYL.

UNDERGROUND LINE.

Paten-ed May 29,1883.

WITNESSES INVENTORS.'

225, fwgfay@ y ,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS X. TAAFFE, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AND CHARLES-H. KOYL,

OF COBOURG,AONTARIO, CANADA.

UNDERGROUND LINE.

SPECIFICATION forming peut of Letters Patent No. 278,627, aeted Mey 29, less.

eppneetienlfnea Mey 3,1883. (No'ieeaei.)

To all 'whom it may concern: t

Be it known that we, FRANCIS X.TAAFFE, of Baltimore, Maryland, and CHARLES H. KOYL, of Cobourg, Ontario, Canada, temporarily residing at Baltimore, Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Underground Lines, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact specification.

J- Our invention relates to underground conio duits for electrical conductors, and'has for its object toprovidemeanswherebytheconductors may be easily and readily inserted into the conduitand manipulated for the purpose of making intermediate connections, and whereby Athe 15 main and lateral wires, at the points of connection, are irmly supported in their relative positions without liability of contact.

To this end the invention consists ot' a conduit provided with line-supporting blocks or so' wire-carriers having llongitudinal main-line grooves and transverse loop-line grooves', the latter being of a greater depth than the former.

It also consists in arranging the wire-carriers at proper intervals along the conduit, and securing them, by means of a suitable device, in such a manner that they may be easily separated for the purpose of gaining access to the conductors.

It further consists in the means whereby 3o wires may -be introduced with great rapidityr lateral-ly into the conduit without removing the cover or practically opening the conduit.

Referring to the drawings forming part` of this specification, Figure l is a longitudinal elevation of part of the conduit, showing the line-carriers in position. Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections ot' part of the conduit. Fi'O. ft is a section showing the joint between the adjacent sections of the cover.. Fig. 5 is a 4o perspective view of the line-carriers andkey. 'Figa 6 representst'ace and edge viewsof one of the linecarriers. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of apart' of one of the line-carriers, showing the linesin position. Fig. S is a plan view of a line-introducing device Fig. 9 is a side view of the same. Fig. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of using the device, and Fig. 1l are plan and sideviews representing a modification of the introducing- 5o blade.

In carrymg out our invention we prefer to make the conduit A in the t'orm of a hollow curbstone for streets; but' any other form orv kind of conduit may be used. rlhe conduitl may bein sections of pipe; but we prefer to `form it, in its position', ot` plastic materials that will harden or set, as artificial stone. This may be done by molds or any suitable means. The inside ot' the conduit has a lining, y, ot' asphaltum or similar material, and in the bot- 6o tom thereofl a thick layer ot' this insulting material is placed through longitudinal channels,

in which the trunk lines a or main telegraphwires may extend; or temporary cords may-be inserted in these channels for the purpose oiA 65 drawing through the conductors as needed.

The cover C is made in sections. At intervals between the sections are left spaces which are closed by caps D, that can be readily raised or removed to permit access to the interior of 7e the conduit. A series ot' wirecarriers consisting of blocks E, ot'iusulating material, each having grooves or recesses in oneor both sidesv I for holding the wires, is arranged wit-hin the conduit adjacent to each opening. These l blocks E are placed face to face, so as to nearly ll the space between the opposite sides of the conduit, and areclamped togetherby suitable means-as, for instance,a keyblock, H. This key consists in the present instance of a lon-v 8o gitudinal strip, preferably slightly tapered, which holds the wire-carriers in close contact.

It may be placed, as shown, between one ot' -the carriers -and the adjacent side ot' the con-l duit, or between any two of t-he carriers. The 85- carriers are supported by a frame, F, so as to leave a space, x, at the bottom of the conduit, for the purpose hereinafter stated.

Vhen it fs desiredto place, remove, or otherwise manipulate any particular wire or wiresl 9o in any ofthe supporting-blocks or carriers E, the key H is moved, releasing the blocks, and allowing them to separate a suitable distance,` without other displacement, when the desiredv wire can be reached by hand or tool. Each of 95 the wire-carriers or blocks E has grooves I) on one or both sides, at proper distances apart, in which are the line-wires Z. Transversely to these is another series of grooves, c, which may each extend from one edge of the block to one roo of the grooves b. As shown, however, the grooves extend completely across the block These latter grooves, c, are deeper than the grooves l), and when it is desired to take olif a loop-line, p, the particular line is slacliened and the proper tool is introduced from above or below, and the desired line-wire Z is caught and carried into the groove c in the form of a loop, passing under all the other lines in the supporting-block to the space above or below the line-carriers. Thcnce it may be carried along the side of the conduit, being pressed into the asphalturn, it' necessary, to a servicepipe leadingl to the house or other connection. lnstead of making the loop from the main line, it may be made separately in the forni of a T, with a double shaiik and inclosed in the block, with the ends tt projecting beyond the edges of the block for attachment to the line, and the shank t extending to the house-connection, as shown in Fig. 7.. The loop may be cut and a connecting\vire ioined to each end, it`preferrcd, to save drawing to'o long a loop through the grooves. lhile the loops may be readily broken ott', as above described, it will be secu that both the main wires and the loops are maintained in their proper position, the difference in the depths of the grooves permitting the transverse wires to be carried past the others without contact. The whole mass of lincwires is supported by the blocks .E at proper intervals throughout the conduit, and the wires are maintained tixedly in their rela tive positions; yet ready access may be had to any of them at any time by simply nnelamp ing the blocks between which they are coniined, asabove described.

Itis ditticult in the class of conduits that ax e practically closed throughout their lengths to introduce additional wires, and heretofore this has been done byintroducing them longitudinaily. We obviate this objection by providing the conduit with a longitudinal open'- ing, w, which is closed by ailexibleliporlips, j, so that the wire may be introduced laterally, the lip or lipsfyielding to permit of the introduction of the wires, and at the same time maintaining the conduit practically closed.

ln order to facilitate theintroduction ofthe wire, we make use of a special tool. A most effectual instrument is shown in thedrawings, and consists ot' a perforated blade,K, through which the wire passes, and having thin edges, as shown, so as to permit it to slide easily between the flexible lips. lThe lips may becurved, with strips s of some material-such as thin metal or fabric-to prevent undue friction between the tool and faces ofthe lips. This blade is preferably mounted upon a carrier, T, consisting of a frame, L, and rollers M M, which serve to guide the device as it ispushed carrier, E, in the manner before described. lf

desired, the blade may be provided with small friction-rolls u, as shown in Fig. 11; but this is not necessary.

A suitable handle, J, may be attached to the carrier, upon which a reel, R, carrying the wire to beintroduced intothe conduit, may be supported.

Having thus described our invention, whatwe desire to claim is-` l. A carrier for, electrical conductors, consisting of a block having two sets of grooves crossing cach other, the grooves ol" one set being deeper than the other, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a conduit, ot' wirecarriers or blocks arranged in series, each having two setsot groovescrossingeach other, one set being deeper than the other, substantially as described.

3. rlhe combination of the seriesot' grooved blocks E, arranged within the conduit, and a clamping device for securing the same detachably together, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a conduit forclectrical conductors, of line-carriers arranged at intervals therein, and each consisting ot' a block having grooves crossing each other, and inclosing` the line-wires and loops at their points ofjunction, substantially as described.

5. A conduit for electrical conductors, having a lateral opening and one or more flexible lips, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A tool for introducing conductors into conduits, consisting` ot' a blade, K, having a wire-passage supported by a portable frame, as and for the purpose set forth.

7. A tool for introducing conductors into conduits, consisting of a frame having frietion-rolls, and provided with a channeled blade and a reel-support, substantially as described.

S. rlhe combination of a conduit having a lateral opening, and a tool provided with a channeled blade extending through the opening, and serving to conduct the wire from the outside and lay it within the conduit, substan-v tially as' described. Y

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this lst day of May, 1883.

FRANCIS X. TAAFFE. CHARLES H. KOYL.

Vitnesses:

HARRIS J. CHILTON, A. W. BRADFORD, Jr.

IOO

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